Violent crime rising in some Michigan cities

Flint is being called “the Most Dangerous City in America.” The FBI released a report today that shows Flint had the highest violent crime rate in the nation last year among cities with 100,000 or more people.

Flint recorded a record number of murders in 2010. Other violent crimes also increased, as budget cuts forced the city to reduce its police force.

Alvern Lock is Flint’s Public Safety director. He says violent crime has eased slightly in Flint this year. He credits efforts to get citizens to report crimes in their neighborhoods.

"We continue to evaluate all the time…and if we come up with something new…or something different that we haven’t (done) already…if we can implement it we will.”

Flint’s increasing violent crime rate bucked an otherwise downward national trend. Detroit, Saginaw and Pontiac also posted crime rates last year that are among the worst in the nation.